What Doesnt Kill You
by willow1850
Summary: Seth leaves Kate on the side of the road. What happens next if she stopped before she hit the border?
1. Chapter 1

**Seth/Kate pairing.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own the from Dawn till Dusk the Series.**

Kate stood on the side of the road watching Seth drive off towards the horizon leaving her behind. The feelings of panic and pain were beginning to bubble up and she felt frozen to the spot and when the car screeched to a halt seconds later joy surged in her chest, her lips curving upward into a small smile. He wasn't going to leave her after all. She wouldn't have to add him to the ever-growing list of people that she missed. Seth was the last concrete thing she had left to hold on to in the whole world, but as she watched his erratic walk towards her, bag in hand, she felt her smile falter. He wasn't staying with her that much was obvious, they had learned each other's ways well during their brief, but intense time together. He barely even lost his stride as he shoved the bag of cash into her arms dropping the car keys on top and just kept walking. She blinked back a tear and felt dizziness threaten to claim her.

Kate had no idea how long she stood on the edge of the dusty road as her brain scrambled to process what had just happened but at some point reality set in and she made her way towards the car her body operating on complete autopilot. She sat in struggling to focus long enough just to get the key in the ignition and then she just started following the road aimless. She had no idea where to go, let alone what she should do next. When she had Seth, all she had wanted was to find Scott and now that she had lost them both, everything felt uncertain and terrifying. She had no one anymore. Seth had been lousy at taking care of himself in so many ways, but at least he had always been working on a plan. There was always another target, always another direction to go in. Until that moment Kate had no idea how much she had relied on that. She had given him such shit for being a mess, but it turns out she was a fucking mess too. Pity she couldn't have realized that when Seth was still beside her, now it was too late. After a couple near misses, she pulled over to the first motel she found and got herself a room, she didn't trust her mental state right now.

She opened the door and walked inside the empty room, had they all felt like this? So lonely and cold? She tossed the keys onto the little table for the TV and dropped her bags, backing up until the bed behind her buckled her legs, dropping her to the too soft surface. She stared at her own reflection in the blank television screen and she realized she had never stayed in a motel or anywhere else before on her own. It was a strange, unsettling realization and she hated it already. Her emotions had been on a merry-go-round of sadness, anger, devastation and a detached numbness for awhile now and all she wanted to do was curl up on the bed and stay there forever, but there was still too much left to do, too many decisions left to make. She was on her own now and she needed to start acting like it, no Seth or heroin to blame anymore.

She sighed and stood walking to the washroom where she found herself once more staring at her reflection. Who was this person staring back at her? She had no idea. She knew she didn't feel like a preacher's daughter anymore, hadn't since the Twister, maybe even before that and she never had really felt like a criminal, even though by almost all definitions she was one now. When she couldn't bare looking at the stranger in the mirror any longer she rinsed off her face and changed her top and headed into the town to get some food. Food was not a decision she could hold off any longer but at least unlike everything else in her life right now it something easily remedied.

She saw the wary glances and judgemental glares she got from the locals but she was used to that in these non touristy towns. She knew how much she stood out here, practically able to read the 'oh look at the silly American girl' on their faces. That was fine, she felt like every inch the silly American girls today. She heard the comments as she walked by and understood enough Spanish to know when she was being talked about, even if she didn't human nature was easy enough to read. Thankfully even in these little off road places her money always worked just as well as anyone else's. So she found a quiet little café in the centre of town. She considered ordering some more food for the road but she had no idea if or when she would be leaving here. She really needed to start working on a plan. Once the food was in front of her she practically inhaled it, barely tasting a single morsel but good manners ensured she still thanked her waitress telling her it was delicious using her best Spanish. Her Spanish that was still pretty rough but at least it was improving, which was more than she could have said for Seth's. He had never much saw the point in learning which made no sense to Kate, maybe it was his way of ensuring he din't stay put in this place for too long and she smiled at his stubbornness. Who would have thought less than a few hours later it would be something she would miss. When she was done she tossed enough cash down on the table to cover her meal and a good tip and got up to leave.

She was on her way to the door when an American accent caught her ear, faded though it sounded and her eyes snapped around to find the source of it before landing on a woman a couple of seats away chatting to a waitress. The woman was beautiful, mid 30's maybe, black hair and blue eyes. Kate's eyes must have lingered a little too long as the woman suddenly turned her head and caught her eye. Kate flushed with embarrassment at having been caught looking and was about too look away when her eyes flicked over to the large ugly scar running down the side of the other woman's face. The woman gave Kate a small sad smile, one which made Kate think that perhaps she might actually know how she was feeling right now. It was one of those moments that made you feel less alone, so she smiled back giving a small wave before she walked out the door.

That night she stayed up as late as she could manage already anticipating a rough nights sleep. Even after sleep finally took her she tossed and turned and woke up more times than she could remember the next day. She missed Seth, she missed his presence in the room, his scent, his touch, his voice, all of it. It was strange they had only been together three months and somehow it felt like a lifetime, not having him in the room with her now felt like torture but she already knew she had survived worse. Finally after hours of trying to reclaim some lost sleep she begrudgingly got up the following afternoon and headed back to the little café in town. She looked around for the woman as she walked in and sat down and felt disappointed when she wasn't there. Had she really expected to see her? Even if she had what difference would it have made? She knew she was being silly but she longed to talk to someone who might understand what she was going through, not that she had any reason to believe this woman truly did.


	2. Chapter 2

As Kate finished up her meal she heard the chair across from her drag along the floor and her eyes flicked up and into the eyes of the woman from yesterday.

"Hi, I'm Laura. You mind?" she asked gesturing to the seat. Kate shook her head and smiled up at her. "It's strange to see a fellow American around here, it's a little off the beaten tourist track" Laura continued.

"I'm Kate, and yeah I was thinking the same thing. It's nice" Kate said extending her hand and her friendliest smile. Laura smiling looking her over.

"Well I live here, what has brought you? Your man or some friends leave you stranded nearby or something?" asked Laura shaking her offered hand.

"No, No, nothing like that, just sightseeing, off the beaten track just like you said" Kate replied, it was her lie of choice in this situations as it was an all too common question in these little towns. Some didn't like outsiders and others were just curious.

Laura laughed. "Liar, but you look like you have seen plenty of sights… It's in your eyes sweetheart" she said as she took out a box of cigarettes and lit one, casually leaning back in her chair scrutinizing Kate closely. Kate stared blankly back, not really sure how to respond to that. It was all still too fresh for her and her most recent emotional scar was still bleeding.

Laura nodded with a little smile "Yeah, I'm rarely wrong… What can I say it takes one to know one?" gesturing briefly at her scars.

"One what exactly?" Kate asked carefully.

"Someone lost, someone who has been in the wrong place at the wrong time one too many times. Although once can be enough if it's a real doozy. Someone broken, but not shattered, although I've seen shattered too but that's pretty bleak. You are lucky you still have hope, which is good and it makes you brighter than most. It also means you're more likely to run into more bastards greedy for it though. Best thing you can do is learn how to use it to your advantage" replied Laura with a soft smile as she tapped her cigarette off into the ashtray.

"Yeah well, if it were that simple" Kate said sadly.

"Oh, I know, if it were that easy there would be less broken people in the world Kate, but we have to try" Laura replied "If you like, I know people who can help, I can help". Kate hadn't been around much kindness since that night at the Twister, except from Seth, when he was sober at least. It had been so long it made her suspicious of the offer and she hated herself a little for that. Hated that this new life of hers was making her harder and more cynical.

"Why?" she finally asked her eyes carefully trained on this other woman looking for signs of deception.

"Smart girl" Laura smiled approvingly "I want to help because I was helped Kate. I live with a group of people nearby, mostly women although we have some men too and we all have our stories, abuse, trafficking, occasional Culebra attack". She said it so casually but she was making full on eye contact when she said it. Kate felt her jaw lock and unlock, it took less than a moment but it was enough. Laura smiled knowingly stubbing out the last of her cigarette in the ashtray. Kate looked into her eyes and saw sincerity. She had always been good at reading people but ever since the Twister she had become increasingly wary of people, but right now she was so lost and this was a direction. She had so little left, what had she left to lose her life? That could be taken from her any moment anyway, this was a direction.

Kate nodded and Laura smiled back and stood. Kate grabbed her bag and followed Laura back to a big house on the edge of the little town. She let her hands fall to the gun and graze the stake in her bag just in case this was some kind of trap. Seth had been relentless on drilling her on precautions in those first few weeks together that it was instinct for her now.

Walking into the house felt like falling into another world, just being in a room with this much estrogen was bizarre. Living with Seth for three months and before that with her brother and father since her mother had died had been a keen insight into the way of the male. This was different, this was a babbling brook of voices, smells of cooking and baking, bra's and dresses and little shorts strewn about on all kinds of homey but disparate furniture. The further into the house she walked though it began to change into something else, the homey touches morphed into practicality and the idle chatter and song changed to sounds grunting and clashing steel and voices jeering and cheering.

Kate turned around to face Laura confused "What is this?" she asked. She had been expecting something more akin to a knitting circle than this, well that or a trap. Laura smiled "Well, we take in anyone who needs refuge, some of us here just want to sit and talk, some want hugs and reassurance and we offer that, but some of us instead want to feel strong and back in control of our lives. Some of us are planning our revenge, although we don't encourage that, it goes wrong more often than not and it never truly satisfies the way it should. Most of us just want to do some good with our lives or get some good work that pays good money and are only here from time to time. This is an outpost of sorts, one of a few along the border. Some of us kill culebra's and some kill the sick people who just want to hurt others and some of us just need a release from our anger. Want to learn?".

"Yes" Kate said without a second thought. This was a direction after all, when she got stronger and more capable she would find Scott and Seth and kill as many of the motherfuckers who had taken her family from her as she could manage. She smiled it wasn't exactly what she had been looking for but she wanted to feel strong, feel capable and feel some kind of control of her life again.


	3. Chapter 3

Kate spent the next few weeks and months obsessed with learning everything she could from anyone willing to teach her. She learned how to fight and sparred with anyone willing. She learned how to use and maintain knives, swords, guns and any other weapon she could get her hands on. She learned how to retrofit guns for culebra killing and strategy. Of course she had already learned a lot of strategy along with theft from her time with Seth, of course Seth had been aiming at money and most of these people aimed at heads and hearts, turns out there was a lot of overlap. She talked to anyone and everyone passing through the outpost; male, female, young, old it didn't matter anyone willing to teach her something she was willing to learn. She trained hard for hours and hours each day channelling all her pain and anger into this one task; Getting stronger and more capable. Her body developed sheets of lean, hard muscle and she had gotten most likely her last surge of nature's gifts as her hips broadened and her breasts grew a full cup size. There was certainly no ounce of doubt anymore she was every inch a woman now, looking several years older than her eighteen years and she was lethal.

The hardest part of her training though hadn't been the fighting, she had always been tough, it was the subtle manipulation certain jobs required. Even the use of the word manipulation made her skin crawl as it went against her every instinct but it turned out that she was a natural at it. There was an honesty about her that shone through even in her deception. She adapted to it so quickly it made her question the strength of her belief in the word of the god she had believed so completely in not that long ago, maybe her belief had been as paper thin as it felt right now, maybe she was just growing up and these inner conflicts was part of it. The girls taught her things that she as a preacher's daughter would never have considered before now which was how to use her more feminine charms. They showed her how to dress and how to use make up and style her hair and more importantly how to flirt and seduce, distract and unnerve men. She remembered the way she blushed the first time Eva cackled telling her "Men have two brains Kyla, one is primal and the other takes a hell of a lot longer to kick in". From that day on she walked around the house in the tiny dresses that made her blush and heels until she could walk and fight convincingly in and with them. The flirtation and seduction had taken much longer to become accustomed too but she practised as much as she could on the other women and the occasional man passing through. It had taken days and weeks to get over the embarrassment and furious blushing as she flirted and the way she blushed even harder when they flirted back but like everything else had, it, with practice, had become a second skin she could pull on and off as she needed.

After six months of solid training some friends passing through took her out on small jobs here and there, first as recon, then as distraction, then infiltration and theft and soon after she was pulling triggers, swinging blades and aiming stakes at hearts. She loved it, she loved all of it, the hunt, the play but most of all the satisfaction of success. It had become her drug of choice. She craved it now and after a few dozen jobs under her belt she was no longer willing to wait for people passing through to take her along. It was time to start taking her own jobs. Some were strictly for pay as it had become a necessary evil to pay her way and start giving back to the people that had given her so much. The rest of her jobs were pro bono to help to keep the local human populations safe from culebra attacks and to get as much information as possible on Scott, the Gecko's and all things culebra.

A couple years later Kate was walking back to her motel room tired and bloody, fresh from taking out a local culebra who had been leaving a string of bodies in his wake. She wiped down her weapons quickly and discretely slotting them back into her bag before grabbing another wipe to wipe down her face. She always took the side streets where possible to avoid drawing too much attention to herself when she got a call. Kate smiled broadly seeing the name on her screen and answered "Hello Esme, it's been awhile".

"It has been, I have some information you might be interested in" Esme offered with a purr.

"Oh yeah? A job?" Kate asked ignoring her flirty ways.

"It's Scott".

Kate's steps came to a halt "You know where he is?".

"Maybe?".

Kate sighed "What do you want?" she asked knowing that tone all too well.

"An owed favour is all" came the cheery reply.

"Is that all?" Kate asked sarcastically and Esme laughed, "Sure, I can do that" Kate said as she opened the door to her room and grabbed a pen and paper.

"He is in the US, he semi-regularly works at a place called Jed's, you know it?" Esme responded.

"Sounds familiar, another hub for culebras like the Twister, right?" she replied as she scribbled down the name.

"I will text you the address, yes it's a culebra hotspot used to be run by Lord Malvado before it was taken over maybe 18 months, two years ago. It's now run by a couple brothers"

"That's interesting" Kate said skeptically already suspicious she knew where this was going.

"It is, I think you might know them in fact and you owe me big for this one, its the Gecko's".

Kate paused and smiled "Yeah I owe you Esme. Thank you".

"There's more. A job has just crossed my desk, a hit on the brother's and they are looking for people. Your credentials should get you at least an interview if not direct acceptance" Esme offered.

"You are a queen and you know me so well. Thanks for this, can you set it up? I will send on some gifts for you and the girls when I'm settled" Kate smiled.

"You know I will" said Esme before she hung up.

Kate sat down, looks like she was heading back to the US after just over two and a half years.


	4. Chapter 4

Once back over the border she got herself situated in a motel a couple miles from Jed's figuring the job will be organized somewhere nearby. Once she was situated she took out a couple deposit boxes to store the valuables she had that she wouldn't be using for awhile; some weapons, spare passports and cash. Once her valuable were taken care of she needed to pick up some bits a pieces, clothes and toiletries mostly and of course the much promised gifts for the girls back at the 'office' which she had shipped immediately. Walking around hearing all the english spoken in American accents felt bizarre and speaking English again felt completely alien to her and she smiled remembering hearing Laura's voice in that little cafe that day that changed her entire direction in life. Once all of that was taken care of she had nothing else to do but train and clean her weapons while she waited for the call. Esme called her a couple of days later and as anticipated no interview was necessary. Esme sent her on the address once off the call along with the meet name, time and date.

The next day Kate drove up to her new place of work, it was a standard warehouse and a not uncommon place for such things. She noted the gruff looking man smoking outside, she had seen his type many times before, he was practically a cliche. She got out of her car anyway and walked towards the entrance once at the door about to walk by him he stuck his foot out blocking her way, do these people have a playbook? He looked her over skeptical, she was small and didn't look like much so she understood the skepticism "You Red? I thought you would be more I dunno… buff" he said his voice raspy.

She returned his skeptical glare "I'm Red and I'm devastated to have disappointed you and you are?".

"The boss" she stared him down the boss never hung outside playing guard duty at least not on any job she wanted to be a part of "Tony".

"That's not the name I have on this slip of paper so if you don't mind" she said stepping around his foot and walking inside.

Inside she found four more people, all men three sitting around scattered and one stood behind a table looking over what looked like rough sketch plans.

"Oh look its everyone it's Lucy Lui, Charlies Angels" a man shouted over in a thick accent while pouting over at her holding his hands as guns. Her nose twitched in disgust but she was used to tacky and usually lewd comments so this was pretty tame, she just allowed her eyes to flick over him and sat down. This kinda work attracted all sorts of weirdos.

"Ok everyone, I am the one giving orders on this job. My name is Michael, we also have Tony at the door, Miguel, Eric, Phillippe and Red. So mingle or not in your own time, for now let's get down to work". She always liked when someone practical was running a job and Michael was nothing if not practical, of course she preferred running a job on her own. An hour later they had the outline of a basic plan, most of which was already underway. Michael had already began paying off a significant portion of the staff at Jed's for an outlay of the place and for them to have a sudden need to take a break when the takeover and execution was happening. Apparently the Gecko's were not well loved, a fact she could certainly understand. Michael was already in talks to arrange the timing of the job with the monthly tribute of a regular depositor at Jed's in order to ensure the Gecko's were both downstairs at the time of the attack. They were both required to be present for tribute for some reason, fucking culebras. The contact would then text their departure so they could time their entrance to coincide with their contact's exit. After all that was set in motion it was just a simple break and enter with absolute prejudice killing anyone who tried to stop them. Simple was always best, but simple did not necessarily mean easy.

After that initial meeting and walk through of the plan they met again only a handful of times. She knew that she was being followed on and off during her off time but this was not her first rodeo and she had no intention of contacting anyone from her old life during a job this sensitive. In fact she suspected she had been followed the moment she had been hired if not the moment her name crossed their desk. At least that's what she would have done. You hire in help there is always a risk someone else is paying better. People in this industry weren't known for their morals, reputation yes, but not morals and reputation was all that mattered and hers was impeccable.

The one downside of a job this side of the border is she didn't really know the people she was working with, usually when she worked a big job like this she knew people involved at least by reputation. She had to rely more heavily on her gut instincts this time around but so far so good. Michael and Tony who were running the show, best she could tell were straight down the line at least as far as these people got. Eric mostly kept to himself and she wasn't even sure she had heard him speak even once, Miguel was an absolute pervert and Phillippe flirted with her but otherwise kept it light and to the job. So all in all it wasn't a bad bunch of paid hitmen to do a job with, she had certainly had worse. Worse being the people who were assholes and bad at their job, as the saying went you can be an asshole and good or nice but terrible at your job but not both.


	5. Chapter 5

It was the morning of the job and Kate pulled up to the warehouse clad head to toe in black much like every other member of the team and she was promptly handed a black ski mask which she immediately stuffed into her back pocket. She hated having to cover her face during a job but it would certainly make the job go a little more smoothly if the Gecko's didn't recognize her. Now all she had to do was make sure she didn't speak during the job and maybe she could avoid this getting messy. She looked up and sighed as she watched Miguel saunter up to her "Hey Little Red Riding hood how about you and me relieve some tension before the job".

"No offence Miguel but you just don't have what I need" she said blandly grabbing her gun and checking it over one last time.

"How you know that?" he asked leaning into her personal space.

She smirked "Woman's intuition, we just know".

"You're breaking my heart lover" he said laughing as he walked away from her.

Kate looked up to see Phillippe laughing over at her and she rolled her eyes and laughed too. Miguel was a perv but at least a predictable one. She stuffed her gun back in her bag and grabbed her things before walking back outside where Tony and Michael watched them all file into the van. The van was stuffy and barely adequate but technically it did the job although the ride was a little rougher than she normally would have liked. Seemed like a strange place to cut corners given the amount they had spent paying off virtually half the staff at Jed's but it made little difference as it was at most twenty minutes inside the cramped quarters of the van.

Once at Jed's they parked a discrete distance away from the back entrance which had of course been left open by a helpful member of staff and they filed inside quickly. They breezed by several abandoned stations which had been vacated by the paid off members of staff and the rest were easily and quietly disposed of with blades. They made their way quickly up to and into the hall just before the room that Seth and Richard were due to be finishing up their meeting in. Michael held up his hand and they all halted and he watched his phone, and less than a minute later he gave them the nod. Tony and Phillippe took their stations guarding the entrance and the rest of the team poured inside in a swift movement surrounding the Gecko's mid fight. Even as they verbally tore strips off each other their reflexes were solid and their guns were drawn before so much as a breath had been taken between them but it was already too late. This had been too fluid and well planned. Kate's heart skipped a beat seeing Seth once again but she was here to do a job.

"Down with the guns" said Michael in a bored tone as he aimed his culebra retrofitted gun directly at Richard's heart.

"You're making a mistake" said Richard gritting his teeth.

"I highly doubt that" Michael replied looking at each of them in turn.

Seth sighed heavily and threw his gun onto the floor kicking it away and Richard reluctantly copied him.

"Hey Lucy Lui, pat them down" called over Miguel with a leer, even in the middle of a job he could still be a perv. She threw him a dirty look from underneath her mask, not that he could see. She was honestly more pissed off by him telling her her fucking job than the leer. She was a professional and she knew her fucking job.

Kate held her weapon pointed at Seth but out of his reach as she walked forward and briefly but thoroughly patted them both down, relieving them both of several smaller weapons. When she was done, she stepped back and nodded ensuring her gun was aimed once again directly at Seth's head.

Her boss stood forward just off to the side of Kate's line of sight, his gun still on Richard "This isn't personal you understand, its business and we need this to be a statement piece" Michael said pulling some rope out of his pocket. That hadn't been part of the plan but she wasn't exactly shocked by the change in pace, for this to an effective take over a statement piece was often a good starting off point. It put off the amateurs at least usually. "Tie your wrists up" he demanded.

"No" Seth bit out.

"Do it now or we will do it after, it matters little" said Michael. Seth and Richard both stood defiant against him so Michael shrugged and readied his gun.

Kate's gun refocused at the last moment and pulled the trigger as a shot came from behind her. Michael's body dropped lifelessly to the ground and she held her finger to her lips looking over at her Gecko's. She turned and nodded once at Miguel, pointing at the door and they walked over silently to take care of the other two. Considering they were already expecting to hear two shots they should suspect nothing. She took left and Miguel took right, two shots later and the job was done.

Miguel pulled off his ski mask and Kate followed ignoring the slack jawed look from the Gecko's.

"Little Red it was so good working with you" he said looking her up and down.

"You can quit the pervy shit show now Miguel" she replied.

She almost laughed as his demeanour changed immediately with a shrug "I was told to make your hating me look authentic. I do as I'm told".

"Good job. Give Kisa my best and my thanks. I'll be in touch with her".

"Will do" he said saluting her before disappearing back into the hall.

* * *

 **Three weeks earlier**

Kate had sat in a bar sitting across from Kisa who was as beautiful as ever clad head to toe in leather "Its good to see you alive and well Kate but I must ask why are you here?".

"You too Kisa" she smiled and cast her eyes over to the guard and back to Kisa who nodded and waved him away "Have we privacy?".

"Yes, of course" Kisa replied easily.

"A job has come down, a hit on the Gecko's. My resume should ensure me a seat on the team but I will need someone on the inside with me".

"You looking to save them or just kill them yourself? I hear you have become quite the Charlie's angel... word travels fast on certain grapevines" Kisa said with an arched eyebrow.

Kate smiled ignoring the last part of her comment and continued "I've been pissed off at Seth just about every way possible and yet…"

Kisa sighed "You love him".

"I do" Kate replied.

"And you expect me to what, subsidize your little rescue mission by putting one of my people at risk?" she asked irritation clear on her face.

"Yes, you owe the Geckos for your freedom do you not?" Kate replied.

"Richard betrayed me. I owe him nothing" Kisa countered her jaw clenched.

"He also rescued you even after you fucked with his mind just to get him and his brother to the Twister. He also got you the money you needed when you asked him to, and he got you your access to Malvado, whom you duly dispatched. I know Seth helped you too and he did not betray you. Word travels in both directions on that grapevine Kisa" Kate replied matter of factly.

Kiss sat back looking her over clearly not pleased "Fine, I will arrange for someone to be there. Is that everything?".

Kate pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to her "That someone will need to have a resume they would be interested in, this is their contact information. It would be best if they not know me and if we don't get along too well. Its a tried and trusted rouse after all".

Kisa smirked looking her over once more and nodded and Kate thanked her and left.


	6. Chapter 6

She turned to Richard "I imagine a cleaning crew will be needed, you might want to come up with a message of your own to discourage such things in future. Here is a list of those I know for certain of your employees that were paid off. I imagine its not extensive just what I could glean from Michaels notebook when I got near but its a starting point you may be able to squeeze more out of them or just watch who runs when you pull them in. Anyone not at their desks at the moment but is still alive I would check them out too".

"Yes ma'am" said Richard with an amused look on his face and a little salute but as he was leaving she noticed the concerned way he looked between herself and Seth. She wasn't sure who he was concerned for but she imagined it was Seth. Seth was strong and tough in so many ways but he was vulnerable too.

She turned away from Richard's vanishing form and looked over at Seth.

"So what are my orders… boss?" he asked looking her over, his face carefully neutral.

The thought 'take me to bed' passed through her head and she smirked "No orders but I would like to talk... at some point".

"I looked for you Kate, for nearly a year and then one day over another year after that you just show up here to what exactly? Be a hero? Save the day? Prove something to who, to me? to Richard?" he asked annoyed.

"I've been in Mexico since we split up and I move around a lot. I wasn't trying to avoid anyone just going where the work was. I'm here now because my family was in danger, my broken messed up family" she replied with a soft smile remembering Seth saying that to her first family years before.

"It was dangerous and stupid" he said his voice getting angry taking a step towards her. She didn't move.

"Everything I do is dangerous Seth, its my job and love is stupid" she replied calmly.

Seth's jaw locked ignoring her use of the word love or maybe because of it "So now what? You disappear again" he snapped.

"I don't know Seth, I'm not exactly feeling welcome here right now" she replied.

Seth's facade cracked a moment and he broke into a small smile before walking over pulling her into a hug "I'm sorry Kate, I just missed you and I don't like you taking stupid risks, least of all for us, for me".

"I missed you too and it wasn't a stupid risk Seth, just a risk, but I would have taken all kinds of stupid risks for you" she said and squeezed him back.

"You make no sense to me princess" he said resting his head against her shoulder.

"I'm told its part of my charm".

Seth smiled at that "Lets go back to my office but I assume Richard is going to need a hand with the staff first before we can talk, best to take care of these things swiftly".

"I know" she replied and pulled back looking into his eyes, the temptation to kiss him was almost overwhelming and it looked like he was feeling it too but they let the moment pass and backed slowly away from each other. It was probably just as well because she was tired, running this little rouse had taken its toll.

His hand slid to the small of her back and he walked her back to his office, gesturing to a seat before he checked his phone. She sat down relaxing into the chair immediately.

"Ok I'm gonna go talk to Richard see what he needs and, I don't know, you need anything? A drink?" he asked awkwardly.

"No, go take care of things, I'm fine" she smiled. He nodded and left, stuffing his phone into his pocket. He returned a few minutes later with a beer for her, the kind they had always drank together in Mexico. She wondered if he remembered or if it was just a personal preference but she smiled at the gesture understanding his need for props as so much uncertainty lay between them. He stood facing her propped against his desk "I'm going to have to head out to help Richard with the interviews now. You gonna stick around for a little while? I mean I still want to talk if you still want to. I mean if you need to sleep you can take my bed but I understand if you need to leave and come back again later?".

"I do need some sleep and if you don't mind I would love a bed" she smiled.

"No not at all" he said looking pleased which made her smile broaden. It was a good sign if he wanted her in his bed right?

He showed her too his room before he rummaged through his things pulling out a vest and tossing it over to her. She snatched it out of the air and smiled remembering those first few nights they had spent together in Mexico "thanks". He smiled knowingly back at her and left.

She looked around his plain unadorned room and it felt a little lonely to her but she wasn't that surprised, Seth had never much been one for personal touches. Still, she ran her hands along the polished surfaces picturing him living and sleeping in this room. She had desperately missed being close to him, missed the way he had made her feel, when he wasn't pissing her off that is and sometimes even then. She sighed at the memories but it was late. She really needed to get some sleep before any meaningful conversation could occur. So she walked into his ensuite and rinsed off her face before shaking her head. It wasn't enough, she really needed to feel clean right now, so she pulled off her clothes and turned on the shower. Thankfully Seth had no shortage of towels. She stepped out a few minutes later scrubbed clean. She dried off quickly and pulled on his vest which smelled of him and her pair of panties. she left the rest of her clothes stacked by the dresser in his room and crawled into his comfy bed.


	7. Chapter 7

She woke some time later to sound of washroom door closing and the hum of the shower turning on moments later. When she heard the shower switch off a couple minutes later she got up and sat perched on the end of the bed waiting for him. When he opened the door a strip of light fell across her body and her eyes flinched away from its glare.

"How was it?" she asked.

"Exhausting, but we think, well we hope at least that we have it in hand" he said walking towards her and she stood.

"Not too exhausted I hope" she asked with a knowing smile, her chest thrusting out slightly. She knew what she was doing, she wasn't the same girl she had been.

"Depends on what you have in mind?" he said looking over her body with interest and she smiled leisurely back at him reaching down and pulling off the oversized tank. His eyes fell over her naked flesh and he smiled a small smile and he reached for her pulling her towards him. His hand biting into the flesh of her hip as he pulled her into a deep kiss and she lost herself in the feel of him. Her hands traced his hard toned torso as she tasted him. The air left her a moment as she felt his fingers slide around and grip her ass pulling her suddenly flush against him. She grinned when she felt the quick tug and heard the sound of her panties tear, she took it as an open invitation to tug his towel knocking it to the ground. She took a half step back towards the bed and before he lifted her tossing her squarely in the centre of it and crawled in after her. Watching his predatory approach made her lick her lips, her chest rising and falling rapidly in anticipation of him as she felt the surge of moisture pool between her thighs. Thighs he now gripped and pulled roughly towards him. His lips met hers once again and she felt him tease her entrance and she squirmed against him desperate for friction, needing him to fill her. She heard his light laugh moments before he pushed inside her. She giggled as she hooked her legs around him and he pounded into her hard and fast and she gasped in delight, this was exactly what she had wanted. The old Kate had imagined her first time with Seth would be soft and tender, but she was a different girl now, this was exactly how she wanted it now. She loved the way he gripped her tight like he was afraid she would slip away, the rough intensity of his lips on hers and the way the air left her lungs for a brief moment each time he slammed into her. She came hard and as the tingled sensations ebbed she felt him collapse against her and it was her turn to grip him tight.

He pulled back and softly kissed her lips before lying down beside her and she curled up into the nook of his arm.

"I missed you Seth" she said stroking his chest.

"Missed you too".

"I'm not that old Kate you knew, I'm different now" she said looking up at him.

"No fucking shit, pretty sure that wouldn't have just happened if you were" he said smiling down at her before kissing her head.

"I'm not so sure, I was pretty into you then as well" she smirked and she had been.

"I know but you weren't ready, fuck Kate, I wasn't ready" he replied.

"Oh you knew did you" she said with a teasing lilt.

"You didn't hide your interest but you didn't make a thing of it which I appreciated. I liked you too princess but you were underage and I'm not that guy. Now look at you, doing jobs, double crossing, still taking care of family. What the fuck happened to you?" Seth asked looked down at her.

"Fell in with a bad crowd and they taught me all their naughty ways" Kate said with a smirk. Seth raised his eyebrows and Kate laughed.

"Partially true, I found some people who through unfortunate circumstances had acquired certain skill sets so I learned what I could from them. They took me out on jobs and then I started taking my own jobs".

"You kill people?" Seth asked.

"I have killed culebras and humans, but only those that were leaving bodies and misery in their wake. This job was not a job I would have taken only for it meant I could help you".

"I wouldn't have been surprised if you had taken it to kill us" Seth said with a laugh "You have no reason to help us after all we have done to you and your family".

"Shut up Seth, I love you you know that. You, Richard and Scott are what's left of my family".

He looked at her intently and a silence descended between and Kate wondered if maybe she had said too much.

"I love you too" he said and she looked up at him and she saw nothing but sincerity and vulnerability there so she leaned up and kissed him softly.

"Scott is due back in a weeks time, if you plan on staying" Seth continued glossing over his discomfort and Kate let him.

"I can stay but I will need to work again at some point. I think my new base of operations will be nearby somehow" she smiled.

"Good, pretty sure Richard will be availing of your professional services" he said pulling her close.

"And you?" she asked.

Seth smirked "My interest you is strictly personal, services and otherwise" he said pulling her on top of him again.

* * *

A week later Richard walked by Seth's office and heard a great deal more than he cared to hear. Kate was not as innocent as her former profession as a preacher's daughter would have you believe and apparently his brother was quite the stud. Ugh, still it was better than watching Seth mope and treat the job like a joke, determined to get himself killed. It was the happy couple's first day back in the office after nearly a week squared away in a local hotel which was a saving grace for everyone. They were only back today because Kate wanted to see Scott who was due in about an hour.

Richard went back to his office and made a quick note about getting the offices and rooms soundproofed, or at the very least Seth's office and bedroom, maybe he should just bite the bullet and get them all done. He sat down with a sigh and started to look through the books when a knock came to the door.

"Come in" he called.

"Hi" said Scott.

"You're early" said Richard putting down his pen.

"Yeah, apparently so, tried to say hi to Seth but apparently he has got himself a fuck buddy. Suppose its better than the poor me bullshit. That was getting old and fast" said Scott taking a seat.

Richard sat back with a smirk, how was he going to break the news to him.

"Take it you didn't see the lucky lady then?" he asked carefully.

"Nah man I didn't look I just opened the door and heard more than I wanted too. Why?"

"Not sure I know how to break this to you" said Richard feeling somewhere between amused and uncomfortable.

Another knock came to the door "Come in" said Richard, grateful for the reprieve. Kate bustled in happily a clear blush to her cheek and Richard couldn't help it, he just started laughing.

They both looked at him strangely before Scott jumped up to hug his sister. "Kate, holy shit, it's so good to see you how have you been? Where have you been?" then he stepped back and looked at her his eyes narrowed then he looked at Richard and back again "Oh no, no, please tell me that wasn't you, with Seth, just now".

"I've been good, been in Mexico until about a month ago and yes Seth and I are together" Kate said with a broad smile and no shame. Her brother had truly tainted that once pious girl.

"So thats what you we trying to tell me. Ugh I'm gonna need some serious therapy" said Scott but he was laughing. Seth walked in a moment later and put his arms around Kate and smirked over at a disgusted looking Scott.

"I keep telling you to knock" Seth grinned and Scott threw a pen hitting Seth straight in the forehead "thanks for that".

"Good to have you back sis, even if you are with this moron" said Scott with a satisfied smile.

"Good to be back with my family, all of my family" Kate replied squeezing Seth tight and looking from Richard to Scott.


End file.
